INTRODUCTION TO CANADA 1867 – 1900

CANADIAN TERRITORIAL EXPANSION 1867 – Confederation: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia 1870 – Canada purchases Rupert’s Land (NWT) Manitoba enters Confederation 1871 – British Columbia enters Confederation 1873 – Prince Edward Island enters Confederation 1905 – Alberta &Saskatchewan join Confederation

1867 Original Provinces Ontario Quebec Nova Scotia New Brunswick

Why Join Together? Canada was created for three reasons: a) To protect against the threat of invasion from the U.S. b) Save the United Kingdom money. Britain no longer wanted to maintain troops in its colonies. The completion of the railway would lead to economic stability.

Map of Canada .gif https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canada_provinces_evolution_2.gif#/media/File:Canada_provinces_evolution_2.gif

BUILDING A RAILWAY ACROSS CANADA In order to help convince British Columbia to join Ottawa promised to build a transcontinental highway. The project began in 1872. The railway was a cornerstone of John A. McDonald’s desire to create a Canadian Nation. Chinese immigrants were brought in to help complete the job. The last spike was entered on November 7, 1885.

CANADA’S POPULATION 1867 – 3.3 million 1911 – 7.2 million In order to populate Western Canada, the government made it attractive to immigrants by offering cheap land. In 1896, PM Wilfred Laurier created an “Open Door” policy for immigrants from certain countries and offered them land.

GOLDEN AGE OF PROSPERITY MARITIMES coal and steel industry ONTARIO/QUEBEC factories boom, jobs are plentiful, cities explode, Toronto, Montreal population doubles

wheat exports quadruple, farms modernize and settlement increases WESTERN CANADA wheat exports quadruple, farms modernize and settlement increases NORTHERN CANADA Klondike Gold Rush (40 000 move to the Yukon)

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS Women begin to take jobs outside the home and take a greater role in society. However they are paid poorly and are not treated equally to men. Women start to organize in order to gain the right to vote and equality.

Migration to the cities led to poverty, disease and harsh working conditions. The government refused to help so private charity groups (usually run by women) were created to help the less fortunate. They pushed for better wages, better education and health care.

FRENCH – ENGLISH RELATIONS Confederation allowed Quebec to be the homeland of French Culture and the Catholic Church. It was assumed that Quebec would cease to be French due to the English that surrounded them and who dominated North America. Immigrants to the West were Protestant and English or from Eastern Europe.

Louis Riel and Manitoba Louis Riel was a politician who fought for Metis (half French /half Native person) rights in Western Canada. They felt too many British people were settling their land in the west. The fight was known as the Red River Rebellion 1869-1870. Riel set up a temporary government in Manitoba and negotiated the entry of the province of Manitoba in Canada. Riel then fled to the United States to avoid trial for the murder of Thomas Scott which took place at the beginning of the rebellion. The province of Manitoba was created out of the Northwest Territories and both joined Canada in 1870. Riel has become a folklore hero to Francophones and Catholic nationalists.

French people outside of Quebec were not protected and lost their right to have Catholic schools or do their daily business in French. (Manitoba Schools Question) Louis Riel (Leader of the Metis) led a rebellion to regain the rights of French speakers in Manitoba. He lost and was hanged. Quebec sees Riel as a hero while the rest of Canada sees him as a traitor.